A New Life & A New Purpose
by Kazesuzu
Summary: Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu are starting over. After the battle in Cephiro the girls plan to lead the lives of ordinary girls, but is soon cut short when Hikaru goes missing. What will Umi and Fuu do? And who is this new mysterious student?
1. New Start

"_Hello?"_

_Hikaru called out as she stood in a small closed room. It had no windows, no doors, and just 4 walls surrounding her. _

"_Is anyone here?"_

_**Of course no one's here, **she thought**, I'm in a room with no form of communication. What am I going to do?**_

"_Someone please help! UMI! FUU!"_

_The isolation was scaring her. She's never been so alone before, and everything was so silent that the echo of her breathing could be heard. She placed her hands over her chest as she frantically looked around the enclosed room. She clenched her hands together, and her eyes soon came focused to a shadow in a corner_

"_H-hello? Umi? Fuu?"_

"_My---. Leave---and become one---not Lantis."_

_Hikaru gasped as she heard the shadow speak out Lantis' name. But what was he saying. She couldn't make out the words clearly, and because she couldn't see his mouth, she couldn't what it was either._

"_Who are you? How do you know Lantis?"_

_The shadow didn't respond. It merely reached out its hand out toward Hikaru._

"_Join---and---it all."_

_Hikaru didn't know what to do. She didn't even know what was going on. She looked down and stared at the black hand. It looked as if it had no fingers at all unless it was viewed from another angle. She looked up to where there was supposed to be a face, but it was just a blank head. It almost looked like it could suck you in. She reached out for the hand._

"_Please."_

Gasp

Hikaru jumped up from her bed, sweating. She was soaked, and her heart was beating fast. She never felt so scared in her life. Not since the last battle in Cephiro.

"…Cephiro…"

The thought of it brought back memories. Memories of the battle against Debonair, Nova, her becoming the Pillar of Cephiro, the twin princesses Tarta and Tatra, Aska, Eagle…and Lantis. Lantis, Zagato's younger brother, the Cail of Cephiro, and the one Hikaru had fallen in love with. She looked down at her hands and sighed.

"Lantis." She said under her breath.

_**I miss him so much. I wish…I wish I could see him again.**_

She got out of bed and walked to her desk in the room. She opened the top drawer and took out a box. The box was small and ordinary, but what it held inside was of great importance. She opened it and took out a large, mirror pendant. It was the gift that Lantis had given her. She remembered how it protected her against the enemy many times. She wiped off some dust that was stuck inside the chains.

A tear dropped from her cheek and fell onto the mirror. She clenched the pendant and couldn't hold back the tears any longer. She held the pendant toward her heart and fell to her knees.

Everything started rushing back. Every single detail, but she knew that even though it made her sad, she could never forget. She didn't want to forget.

It had been 2 years since then, and the 2 years without Lantis saddened her. She was now 17 and getting ready for a new year in high school. She put on the pendant and then dressed into her uniform. She at her mirror and smiled.

"I can't be sad. I'll see Lantis again. In fact, I know I will!"

Hikaru then looked at herself in the mirror again and starred for a while.

"Hmmm," she thought, "maybe I should wear my hair down today and not in braids."

She tilted her head and thought. But with a smile she shook her head in disagreement.

"Nah. I like my hair the way it is. It's just fine, and besides…this is who I am."

Hikaru then went running out of the house and ran all the way to her school, excited. She had completely forgotten about her dream when she got to school. She never gave it a second thought.

**_I wonder where Umi and Fuu are?_** Hikaru thought as she walked to the bulletin board to find out her new class for the year. When she got there her head instantly trailed up & down and side to side searching for her name. About 3 minutes later she found it.

"Aha! Here I am! Let's see…class C, year 2. I wonder if Fuu and Umi are with me too. I can't wait to find out! Okay! Let's see if…"

Hikaru was cut off from the bell declaring that school was about to start.

"Oh! I better hurry. I'll find out if they're in my class then."

Hikaru left and smiled. She was too excited to worry about anything. Down the hallway she ran to her class without a care in the world.

Back at the bulletin board a black figure began to immerge from the ground. A pair of blank eyes had then appeared out of nowhere. You could see right through and see what was on the other side. It had no actual eyeballs, but it gazed down the hallway that Hikaru had ran down just a few seconds ago.

It whispered, "…Hikaru…"

Preview:

Hikaru is starting a new year in high school and a mysterious dream is haunting her during the night and during the day. Who is this shadowy figure, and how does he or if know Lantis? And will Hikaru have the same class as Umi and Fuu?


	2. New Student

Chapter 2

Hikaru's new high school life has just started, so now she's off headed to class wondering whether or not she'll be with Umi and Fuu. But right after she left a strange shadow appeared from the ground whispering her name…so, what's to happen now?

Hikaru was sitting in a desk by the window. She stared out the window, dazed. Her eyes were fixed on a small baby bird that was sitting in a nest chirping wildly. She thought it was either waiting for its mother to come with food or waiting for someone to come; someone to come and just take it away. It was alone in its nest, so Hikaru felt sympathetic for the small creature. She sighed.

"Hikaru!"

Hikaru turned her head and saw Umi running toward her desk and Fuu waving and closing the door behind her. She smiles widely.

"Umi! Fuu!"

Umi ran and gave Hikaru a humungous hug. The two girls giggled.

"We're in the same class again!" Umi giggled.

"This is so cool!" Hikaru said smiling.

Fuu walked up to Hikaru's desk and smiled. She then pushed up her glasses with her index finger, and giggled as well.

"Fuu."

"Hello Miss Hikaru. How are you?"

"I'm doing fine. What about you guys? I didn't get to see you guys over the break."

Umi sat down in a desk behind Hikaru. Before she said anything she made sure she was comfortable.

"I was in a fencing tournament in America. They were for the championship. We had to leave right when break started, so I couldn't invite you guys." Umi said.

"That's alright Miss Umi. My family went to my sister's wedding in Europe. I asked if it was all right for you and Miss Hikaru to come. Kuu thought it was a great idea, but my parents said no. I'm sorry." Fuu said.

"That's alright, right Hikaru?" Umi smiled.

"Of course. Tell her I said congratulations. What about the tournament Umi? Did you win?"

Umi looked down and was silent for a few seconds.

"…Umi…"

Umi then brought her head up and made a 'V' with her index and middle finger, signifying victory and winked at Hikaru.

"Omigosh!" Hikaru squealed.

Hikaru jumped up, which had gathered everyone's attention to her. Hikaru stood still and blushed.

"Oops…s-sorry." She said sheepishly.

She sat back down in her desk looking down at her hands placed on her lap. Hikaru turned her head toward Fuu, who was already sitting down in the desk in front of her. She smiled lightly and giggled. Right then the teacher walked in the room and instructed the rest of the students to seat in their seats. Everyone sat down and looked forward as the teacher walked to the blackboard. The teacher was a woman who looked to be in her mid thirties maybe. Her hair was short and a tan brown.

"My name is Ms. Shizu. I'll be your teacher for this year, and it won't be an east task to pass either. If you give me respect, I'll give you respect. Am I clear?"

"Yes ma'am," the class responded.

"Now, I'm going to call roll. You know the drill…Shin Ryuichi."

"Hai."

"Nakamura Mika."

"Hai."

As the teacher called out the student's names, Hikaru stared out the window again, but this time up at the sky. She was happy that Umi and Fuu were in her class, but something was bothering her. She felt it in her gut, and it didn't feel right. It was hard for her to concentrate on anything.

"Shidou Hikaru."

"…"

"Shidou Hikaru?"

"Ah! H-hai!"

The teacher looked at Hikaru and marked her book.

"Pay attention Hikaru…Houji Fuu."

"Hai."

"Ryuzaki Umi."

"Hai."

"Kuro Shadow…Kuro Shadow?"

Just then a boy walked into the room panting.

"Sorry…I'm late…sensei. I'm…Kuro Shadow."

"Don't be late again. Please take a seat."

As Ms. Shizu called out the rest of the names Kuro was looking around the classroom for a seat. His head started from the left and gradually ended at the right. It was then that he noticed Hikaru and the gang. He looked to see if there was a seat there, and there was, right next to Umi. He started walking down the aisle of desks. Right when he walked by Hikaru, she had a chill go up her spine. The air around her was cold and it was hard for her to breath. She almost felt as if she was going to faint, and that the walls were closing in on her. She was so stiff she couldn't even turn her head to look at the guy.

_**W-what's going on? What was that feeling I just had? Is it that boy?**_

Hikaru slowly turned her head and had her one eye staring at him. She was scared from just looking at him. She didn't know what to think. Then Kuro looked up and noticed Hikaru looking at him. He smiled at her, but it wasn't a very reassuring. It scared her even more than before. She felt like he had a strange aura surrounding him, but she couldn't explain it. When she started to think of it clearly, she remembered her dream. She felt just like she was then…but this time, it felt a lot bigger, and what was worse was that this wasn't a dream. She knew that for certain.

"Hikaru…Pillar of Cephiro," Kuro whispered.

She gasped She looked away and was facing her desk. How was it that he knew that she was the Pillar? Now she knew something was wrong. She clenched her hands tight and trembled with fright. At this time Umi noticed Hikaru shaking.

"Hikaru?" Umi whispered.

Fuu heard Umi and turned around to see Hikaru trembling.

"Miss Hikaru?"

She looked down and gasped. Hikaru's hands were bleeding.

"Miss Hikaru!"

Everyone turned around at Fuu who was out of her desk holding Hikaru's hands.

"Oh, Miss Hikaru! Are you alright?"

"What's going on Miss Houji," Ms. Shizu asked.

"It's Miss Hikaru! Her hands are bleeding!"

The teacher power walked over to the desk and grabbed Hikaru hands and examined them. Her palms had small incisions from her nails when they were in a fist. Some of the blood had fallen on the desk and down Hikaru's arms, which had stained her uniform.

"Go to the nurses' office and get those bandaged up. Go home after that and clean your uniform. You can't be here at school with your uniform like that. I'll inform the principal what's happened."

"Yes ma'am."

Hikaru got up and walked out of the classroom still trembling, with her hands clasped together. She wanted to get out of there as fast as she could; she wanted to get away from Kuro.

Preview:

Kuro knows that Hikaru is the Pillar of Cephiro, but how? She's sent home from school to relax and clean her uniform, but Hikaru can't stop thinking about what Kuro had said. Umi and Fuu go and check on Hikaru to see if she's all right…but she's missing! Is Kuro the shadow in her dreams? And what's happened to Hikaru?


	3. New Story

Chapter 3

Hikaru's new year in high school isn't starting off very well. Aside from the fact that she, Umi, and Fuu are all in the same class, Hikaru meets a new classmate named Kuro. But now Hikaru gets a bad vibe from him when he walks by from her, and it wasn't subtle either. She felt faint and has left school due to a wound. Has Hikaru met the person in her dreams?

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It was quiet. The room was dim and cold. The sun didn't hit any part of the room, except for maybe the curtains, which were blocking the brightness of the sun. It hurt her eyes if even the slightest amount would hit them. Every now and then the shadow of birds would come by and become the only form of entertainment Hikaru had, as she lay half-asleep on her futon, but slowly falling asleep. The nurse had told her to try and fall asleep after she had bandaged up her wound. She was still trembling from earlier, and she was told that her trembling might have been triggered from shock, so she wanted her to sleep it off. But how could she sleep?

_Sigh._

Hikaru was completely still and stared blankly at her ceiling. Her mind was just like a blank slate, but every few seconds and new question would arise and keep her from falling asleep and escaping from reality to a world where everyone knew that you couldn't possibly be hurt. 'How does he know about Cephiro and me being the Pillar?' were questions that popped into her head. And questions like 'Why did that uneasy feeling take over me when he walked by?' There were many answers and possibilities that Hikaru could think of logically and almost impossible. But things weren't really impossible for Hikaru anymore.

Hikaru closed her eyes for a brief moment and opened them again. From the corners of her eyes, tears began to form. Her vision slowly became blurry and she could feel the trails of her tears falling down the side of her face.

"Why? Why am I crying?"

She placed the palms of her hands over her eyes and let the tears run free. As she wept she flipped to her left and soon cried herself to sleep.

**_I want to see Lantis. I want to see him again, _**were her last thoughts before she had fallen asleep.

Umi and Fuu were finishing the rest of their classes before they met one another in front of the school building. They had made plans of visiting Hikaru the day before, to bring gifts from Europe and America, but after what had happened they decided that visiting Hikaru was a first priority. They were going to bring her the gifts of course to make her feel better. They knew how happy Hikaru was when she received a gift from a friend.

The bell for the last class rung and the two girls met in front of the school building.

"Fuu!"

Umi was running to meet Fuu who was waiting under a tree reading a book about the physics of speed and distance. Fuu looked up and saw Umi running with her right hand in the air waving around. When Umi reached her she slouched over panting and trying to catch her breath.

"Do you…always…have to read…such hard books?" she asked, still out of breath.

"It's for my physics class. And it's really not that bad." Fuu answered.

"Yeah…well…I guess for a genius like you…it would be easy."

Fuu giggled and placed her book in her book bag. She left her hand inside the bag and started feeling around for something. After searching she pulled out a small box with baby blue wrapping and an ocean blue bow and handed it to Umi.

"Here, this is for you," Fuu began, "it's a photograph of the fencing champion in all of Europe. I even asked for their autograph. I thought you could use it as a good luck charm in your fencing matches."

"Waah? Thanks Fuu. Oh!"

Umi reached into her bag and brought out a thin package with forest green wrapping and a lime green bow.

"Here," Umi smiled, "this is for you."

Fuu took the package and opened up and found a book of photos of nature. She glanced at a few photos of flowers, oceans, lake, rainstorms, and almost anything else. She smiled at Umi and thanked her.

"When I saw that, the first thing I thought of was you and how you had a garden at your house."

The two girls giggled for a while then got their bags and started walking out the gate. As they walked along the sidewalk, they talked about their first day at school that year, and what it was like for them. Umi talked about her fencing club, and how all the new years were all mainly girls this year than last. Fuu talked about how her classes with the science teacher, and that she corrected him in almost half the questions that he gave.

"Wow Fuu. You really are a genius," Umi giggled.

"Oh, now Miss Umi. That's not true. I just merely know a bit more than he did, that's all."

"Which makes you a genius."

Fuu giggled and turned her head to the road ahead.

"I wonder how Miss Hikaru is doing?"

"Yeah. She was acting really strange this morning. Wonder what's up?"

"Maybe she ate something this morning?"

"I could believe that, but did you see her face when she left the classroom?"

"I did."

(Flashback)

"Hikaru, I want you to go to the nurses office right now and get that bandaged up. Go home and get some rest while you're at it too," said Ms. Shirai.

"Okay."

Hikaru got out of her seat and walked to the door with her hands held together, trying to apply pressure to the wound. She stopped at the door and turned her head to look at Umi and Fuu, who were worried. She gave them a slight smile, to assure them that she was fine. At that time, she caught the eye of Kuro, who was staring at her smirking a bit. Hikaru stiffened and immediately left the classroom, to escape his gaze.

The door shut, and class started up once again.

(Back in reality)

"She did look a bit pale when she left," Fuu said.

"Yeah…and the way that boy looked at her was strange too. Almost like he knew something," Umi replied with her hand under her chin as she recalled what happened.

"I think there is something wrong with that boy. There's something about him that I just don't like. Do you agree Miss Umi?"

"Yeah."

The girls walked and talked about Hikaru and her behavior until they had finally reached her house. They walked through the gate and went straight for the door and knocked twice to see if anyone of Hikaru's brothers were home. No one answered the door, so they thought that the brothers weren't at all inside, and knocked one more time. There was no answer again. Umi grabbed the doorknob and twisted it around until the sound of the latch releasing the lock was heard.

The door opened.

The house was so silent that the sound of the door opening could be heard. The girls stood outside for a while investigating what looked like to be one empty house. They finally decided to go inside and stepped inside, took off their shoes noticing Hikaru's small pair of shoes, and went straight for Hikaru's room.

"It's so quiet," Umi said, breaking the silence inside.

"Yes, quite. I almost reminds me of when we walked into Miss Presea's house when we first went to Cephiro," Fuu said.

"Yeah…only this is more creepy."

"For some strange reason…I agree."

The girls continued to walk to Hikaru's room. They found the door that contained most of Hikaru's belongings and knocked on the door, but softly, trying not to disturb Hikaru if she was sleeping. She didn't answer, so Umi placed her head on the door and quietly said, "Hikaru? You okay?"

Hikaru didn't answer and Umi opened the door. As she slowly opened the door Fuu stepped inside, but quickly stopped in her tracks. At the same time the movement of the door stopped with a book bag falling to the ground, once again breaking the silence.

Fuu's hands slowly came to her face covering her mouth. Umi had fallen to her knees with her right hand on the door to help give her balance. Their eyes wide eyed, tears forming at the edge of their eyes, quivering.

"H…HIKARU!" Umi yelled, her head falling the ground.

"Oh…M-miss Hikaru," Fuu followed, frozen in place.

What was in front of them was not Hikaru's room…but just an empty room. A room with completely nothing inside.

Preview: Hikaru is gone. Her room is bare. Umi and Fuu are about to have a break down. The two girls search frantically for their lost friend, searching for any possible answer as to why Hikaru's gone. Their only suspect as to why is Kuro. Could he have possibly done something to Hikaru? What's more, what are the two friends going to tell Hikaru's brothers?


	4. New Situation

Chapter 4

Plain and simple…Hikaru's gone. Umi and Fuu are on the ground crying. Now what?

The room of Hikaru was bare and empty. The door creaked as Umi lay on the floor trembling, tears streaming down her face. Fuu, standing on her feet, covered her mouth trying to hold in her scream. Her legs trembled harshly forcing her to fall to her knees as well. She then broke down into tears, no longer able to hold it back. Umi faced the ground with her tears falling to the ground. She clenched her hands.

"HIKARU!"

"Hello?"

Umi and Fuu jerked their heads back and looked behind them. Someone entered the house. It must have been one of Hikaru's brothers. The girls calmed down a bit but then when into a sudden panic realizing that Hikaru was gone, so what were her brothers going to say to a missing Hikaru.

"Hikaru's brothers!" Umi gasped.

"What are we going to tell them?" Fuu wondered.

The two girls looked at one another confused at their current situation. They couldn't think of any possible explanation to what was going on. The silence in the room was cut short as one of the brothers entered the room. The girls gasped as they turned their head again and saw Kakeru at the door.

"What's going on here?" he asked.

"K-kakeru-san!" said Fuu.

"We…we can explain!" Umi cried.

Kakeru looked at the two girls, with a look of confusion.

"Explain what? Why you're in the guest bedroom?"

The girls stared at the remark that Kakeru made. They were confused. Was this not Hikaru's room?

"What are you talking about? This is Hikaru's room!" Umi yelled as she turned to look at the room. She soon turned silent as she saw that what was not there appeared. It was a guest room after all. A sigh of relief hovered over the girls' shoulders as the got off their knees to meet with Kakeru. As the girls got up they turned to Kakeru, who's face at the time looked confused.

"Who's this Hikaru you're talking about? Is she a friend of yours?" Kakeru asked.

The girls froze once again stunned from the remark that just came out of Kakeru's mouth. Umi ran up to him and grabbed his arms tight.

"Hikaru! You're little sister! Don't you remember her?"

"Whoo! What is wrong with you Umi?" Kakeru wondered as her put his hand on Umi's forehead. "We don't have a younger sister."

Umi gasped. Didn't have a younger sister? How could that be? Umi and Fuu were lost. What was going on in this house? Umi pulled back and into Fuu's hands.

"Are you sure you two are okay? Do you have a fever or something?"

The two girls ran out of the room, down the stairs, and to the door. They rushed to get their shoes on and noticed that the Hikaru's pair was missing. What was happening to them? Did Hikaru no longer exist? They didn't want to think about, nor did they want to believe it, but how could they explain it? The slammed the door behind them and went right past the two other brothers without even noticing that they were there. As they ran around the corner Kakeru came out of the house. The three brothers walked to each other, all confused.

"What was that about?" One asked.

"No idea…they talked about us having a younger sister…named Hikaru or something." Kakeru answered.

"A younger sister?" They other added.

"Yeah. They were in the guest room and said that it belonged to Hikaru. But we don't even have a younger sister."

"Hmmm." The eldest brother turned around to the corner at which the girls had turned.

"Something wrong?" The youngest brother asked.

"Well…to tell the truth, it does feel like something's missing. I've had this sinking feeling that something was taken."

"Yeah. I had that feeling earlier, but I thought that was just me. What about you Kakeru?"

"Actually, now that you mention it, I had the same thing happen to me. It was right when I got into the house."

The brothers stared at one another, wondering about what they felt earlier and what Umi and Fuu told Kakeru. They knew something was wrong, but they didn't take it any farther than that.

Umi and Fuu came running into a park out of breath, ready to sit down and talk about what had just happened. They looked at each other then around the park to find a bench to sit on. Just a few feet away they spotted one by a lamppost. They walked over and sat. Again, they looked at one another, Umi with a serious expression and Fuu, almost ready to cry.

"Something is definitely wrong here" Umi started.

"Yes. First Hikaru strange behavior, and then she disappears."

"And now it's like she no longer exists."

The girls looked down at the ground, silent. They still didn't want to believe that Hikaru was actually gone. It wasn't possible. But then again, they didn't think anything was impossible, not after Cephiro.

"Maybe this is what it was like when we were taken to Cephiro." Umi said.

"No, I don't think so. When we came back it was like we were never gone. But now it's…different."

Umi nodded. "Yeah, that's true." She then had a sudden thought. "Do you think everyone's forgotten Hikaru?"

"…I don't know. Maybe. Judging by the reaction that her brothers had, I wouldn't be surprised if it goes for everyone else as well."

"Hmmm."

The girls sat and talked for an hour, not realizing how late it was becoming. They sat talking about possibilities of how Hikaru could have disappeared, and ways why her brothers don't remember her. But they also made assumptions as to who or what took her. The idea of Cephiro kept coming up in their minds, but they knew that only the pillar of Chephiro could summon people from another world. Hikaru was in the fight for the position, but later on was shared by all three of the girls. If one went, then the other two would surely follow. Nothing made sense anymore. They sat, frustrated and confused. How could they solve this mystery? For some reason, the image of their new classmate reappeared in their minds over and over. Could it be? Maybe it was Kuro who took Hikaru. But where was the proof?

"Fuu, I've been thinking. What if it was that new kid?"

"What do you mean Miss Umi?"

"I mean, what if Hikaru disappearing is connected to that Kuro guy?"

"I see what you mean. It does seem suspicious."

"Him arriving, her reaction, and her being gone. It doesn't seem like some mere coincidence." Umi said as she counted with her fingers.

"We're going to have to have a talk with Kuro. I'm not sure if it really is his fault, but you do have a point about it not being just a simple coincidence. It can't be that simple."

"So, we're in agreement then. Tomorrow, we'll have a talk with this Kuro Shadow."

"And we'll bring Miss Hikaru back." Fuu said smiling.

Umi turned and nodded along with her. They were determined to bring back their missing friend. Hikaru had done so much for the both of them, so now they were going to pay her back. The two friends stood up and clasped their hands together. Hand in hand, they would save their friend.

Preview: Second day of school, and the girls are about to get into a fight! How will they deal with such a huge amount of weight on their shoulders?

(Sorry if there's too much talking, it's just I like to write cliffhangers a lot. Just a bad habit I guess, but that makes it more fun!)


End file.
